Being Mama Daily

I’m on a mission today; one that will ensure I’m well enough to function by tomorrow morning because the world is unforgiving to a mom who succumbs to the awful dreaded cold virus. The world has the audacity to continue moving without taking into consideration how I’m feeling physically and mentally. In other words, a mother just can’t afford to be sick.

When one child falls ill, I’m usually pretty good at protecting everyone else in the household from getting sick. How? I immediately quarantine the child by sending him to his room, granting permission to leave only to use the bathroom. Everything he touches gets disinfected with Lysol or Clorox wipes. He is allowed, for this one occassion only, to break one of the golden house rules while he is serving his time in isolation, and that is to eat in his room. However, being allowed to break the rules doesn’t seem to make this unsolicited alone time a joyous affair. Unfortunately, it’s something I feel has to be done in order to prevent a widespread household epidemic. Right?

Usually, I’m good at spotting the warning sign very early on, but I don’t know how I allowed myself to be fooled by Monsieur G’s cold this time. I guess because it was so beguiling in appearance, hiding behind the symptoms of an allergy that I was so easily tricked. My guard was down, which made everyone in the household susceptible to this unseen enemy.

Well, reality hit Saturday morning at around seven when I was awakened by Monsieur D’s loud voice yelling, “Mom, he’s throwing up all over the place. It’s so gross!” Only then was I alerted to the virus’s true identity. Let me just tell you right now, I have a very weak stomach. And now, the first thing I have to do in the morning is clean up vomit. A couple months ago, when Monsieur D’s nose met the toilet bowl after he slipped in the shower, there was blood every where. Once I ran upstairs and caught sight of the blood splattered walls, I freaked out! He tried to calm me down by telling me he was fine and that I didn’t have to worry because he would clean the blood off the floor, walls, toilet, and tub. Phew! Though it was a relief to hear, I felt really bad because I’m suppose to have it together, be the tough one when something like this happens. Needless to say, I feared what awaited me downstairs.

Thank heavens it wasn’t as bad as Monsieur D made it seem. Since Monsieur G had nothing but water in his system there was nothing too disgusting to clean up. I simply pulled out my mini carpet cleaner, went work, and presto.

In the back of my mind, I knew it was already too late to quarantine this kid and that there was a great possibility we would all get sick. You know what comes next?? The hubby and Monsieur D, so far, seem to have swam through contaminated waters unscathed, but as far as I and Mademoiselle are concerned…we weren’t so fortunate.

Before I continue, let me tell you that Mademoiselle is a trooper. She’s not letting a little cold slow her down. But I, on the other hand, woke up this morning so very sick. I couldn’t even get out of bed. I laid there flat on my back as I talked on the phone with my grandmother. She told me I needed to make a tea with grapefruit, lemons, and onions. “Onions?” I asked. “That doesn’t sound appealing,” I added. “Trust me,” she said. “You’ll feel 100% better,” she continued.

I followed her instructions somewhat. I ate half of the grapefruit and cut the other half into slices before placing it into a small sauce pan along with slices of a whole lemon, and spring water. I let it bowl on low for an hour. I poured eight ounces of the liquid in a cup then allowed it to steep with a bag of echinacea elder tea for 15 minutes. The tea was actually tasty after I put a little honey in it. I had a bowl of chicken and wild rice soup in which I included a handful of raw onions and cayenne pepper (loaded with vitamin c). Yum!

While I’m not yet feeling one hundred percent, I feel a whole lot better than I did. The thing that seems to linger is a scratchy throat and a slight headache, but other than that I feel I will be able to prepare breakfast and a bag lunch for Monsieur D and take him to school; clean the kitchen, wash a load of clothes, put some clothes away, tend to Mademoiselle and Monsieur G (he’s doing a lot better, but I want to make sure he’s okay so he’s staying home today), finish typing up new rental agreements, make doctor’s appointments, coordinate a year end party for G’s lacrosse team, schedule a meeting with D’s teacher, help with homework, create a grocery list, learn a new program for producing the school’s weekly newsletter (my new position on the Parent Faculty Club, since when did they stop calling it the PTA), and everything else that goes along with being mama daily.

You are right. There is no time or space for a sick Mama or wife. That’s one of the reasons why Nan & I up came up with the ladies only vacation time away. No kids and no husbands. Once a year doesn’t hurt anyone, right? I hope you feel better.

Nicole, I totally agree. In the past, I’ve made arrangements to spend time in L.A. alone to enjoy some freedom for a week. I’m so glad you guys came up with the once of year get-a-way and I’m so happy to be a part of it.